Osmotic Pressure Modeling of White Wine Diafiltration and Red Wine Concentration by Reverse Osmosis

During our research concentrations of quality wines were investigated by membrane separation on nanofiltration and reverse osmosis membranes. The practicability of the process was examined by experimental design in our laboratory experiments. The effects of the operating parameters on the efficiency of the methods were analyzed, from which the conclusion was drawn that the sugar content of the wines affects the filtrate capacity considerably. This phenomenon was attributed to the resistance appearing during the process. This resistance is the osmotic pressure which is faced with the driving force. By the mathematical modeling of the process - building up experimental and empirical relations - the answer for the practical implementing was searched for. Our concrete model concentrates on the connection between the changing of the osmotic pressure and the retained molecules by the membrane. Monitoring of this connection is a primary criterion when planning the optimal development of the process.